FORTRAN Full Form

FORTRAN Full Form

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jun 01, 2023 05:35 PM IST

What is the full form of FORTRAN?

FORTRAN stands for Formula Translation. John Backus created the first high-level programming language, FORTRAN, in 1957. It was primarily developed to build high-performance computer programmes and is best suited for numerical computing, scientific computing, and scientific applications involving large mathematical computations. The primary goal of its development was to convert mathematical formulae into code.

Before FORTRAN, programmers utilised assembly/machine code to create a programme, which was highly complex and time-consuming. This resulted in the development of FORTRAN, a programming language that is easy to learn, machine agnostic, and suited for various applications. Because FORTRAN was so much easier to code, coders could develop their programmes 500% faster than in previous languages.

Fortran 2018 is the most recent iteration of the language. Fortran 2023, the next edition, is scheduled for release in 2023.

Features of FORTRAN

  • Simple language: It is simple to understand and learn.

  • Machine secession: A programme can be moved from one device to another.

  • Execution efficiency: Only around a 20% drop in efficiency as compared to assembly or machine code.

  • Express complicated mathematical functions in simpler ways.

  • Enables programmers to regulate storage allocation.

  • In contrast to assembly or machine language, programmers do not have to structure code in precisely specified columns.

Versions of FORTRAN

  • FORTRAN II

  • FORTRAN III

  • FORTRAN IV

  • FORTRAN 66

  • FORTRAN 77

  • FORTRAN 90

  • FORTRAN 95

  • FORTRAN 2003

  • FORTRAN 2008

  • FORTRAN 2015

Uses of FORTRAN

  • Scientific and Numeric computing

  • Algebraic problems are simple to answer

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